Healthy Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oat Breakfast Bars

1.  That title is a mouthful!

2.  I can't believe I haven't blogged on this blog in a year.  That's ridiculous.

3.  I didn't eat these as breakfast...  These were a dessert.  They are that good.  Below is the recipe as I made it (I followed it pretty exactly, just used butter instead of coconut oil).  Here is the link to the original.  I am not concerned with the gluten-free aspect, so that isn't a focus in my ingredients.  But this very easily is gluten-free.  My thing is trying to cut back on refined sugars.  So this really hit the spot and was amazing.


2 1/4 cups oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 medium, ripe bananas, peeled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Drizzle: 
1/2 teaspoon butter
2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To make oat flour: Place oats into blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended. Transfer oat flour medium bowl; whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

Place bananas, vanilla, applesauce, and honey into blender; blend 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add to oat flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly with rubber spatula. Bake for 15 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Cool 10-15 minutes on wire rack.

Prepare drizzle by adding 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips and butter in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 30 seconds; stir well to combine then drizzle over the top of bars. Cut bars into 16 squares and enjoy!  (My drizzle wasn't super drizzly, so I may have burned my chocolate a little or maybe the butter isn't as great for this as the coconut oil...  So I put mine in a little snack-size ziploc and cut off a corner and squeezed it out over the bars.  Still tasty!)


Anyway, this woman who came up with this recipe is awesome beyond words in my book.  I have some nephews who have quite a few food allergies to contend with... I sent this link to my sister-in-law, because I am pretty sure this is something the boys can have, and it is seriously so good.  In fact, I need to make another batch :).

Now if only all healthy desserts could be this good!